It's What Gives Us Strength
by Soapy Water xx
Summary: "No," I snarled furiously, gnashing my teeth forcefully. I was past reason, dominant instincts rising within me. "Not everything is about what you want, Edward. This is my decision, and I am not going to let this go a second time." Sequel to IWMUH.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N: Welcome, old friends and new! **

**Yeah, so it's been a while... I said like 3 days and it's been longer. I'm not sure why, I just got weird jitters when I thought about uploading, so I didn't. **

**If you haven't read It's What Makes Us Human, this will not make sense. **

**No flamers, if you would please. **

Chapter 1 - The Cullen's Easter

_'Sometimes, you can believe that it's the end when, in reality, it's only the beginning.' - Anonymous_

"Item unaccepted."

My fury was almost uncontainable as I stared at the self checkout machine in Walmart. I'd thought that it was a good idea, considering that I only had a packet of strawberry flavoured Pop Tarts to purchase, but apparently the self checkout was going to waste more of my time than queuing up like a normal person would. I'd thought that it was a good idea; how hard could it be, to just push an item over a scanner, then put it into a bag and pay?

Surely the job of the cashier wasn't that hard; I knew for a fact that you didn't exactly need amazing qualifications to apply. But the damned self checkout machine obviously hated me. Or maybe it was faulty; I didn't particularly care. It wasn't doing what it was supposed to do, which was grating on my already antagonised mood.

I brought the Pop Tarts back across the scanner, a little more swiftly than before. The machine beeped in protest, the blasé voice of the machine speaking up again.

"Item unaccepted."

A low, guttural snarl ripped from between my teeth, my form already shaking. I'd always managed fairly well with my werewolf temper, I'd always been the calm one of the Pack. I'd never endangered another human; I was one of the fastest to phase back after phasing for the first time. Even as a new wolf, I'd handled the anger part fairly well.

Now, it felt as if I was Paul; unable to control my temper and my reactions in turn as I clenched my fists and sucked in an even, ragged breath. Above all things, I knew that if I did phase in the middle of a shop, I would endanger myself; human scientists were too curious. I'd become the result of a lab experiment, sliced up into tiny pieces.

"Leah."

Instantly, my muscles relaxed and my hands fell limply at my sides. I heaved out a heavy sigh, leaning back into the cool, comforting arms of my husband. He didn't question my reaction; he already knew, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

"You're incredibly intolerant lately," Edward told me, gently taking the Pop Tarts from my hands and moving them swiftly across the scanner. The machine beeped again; but this time, it was in acceptance.

"Item scanned."

I ground my teeth together in frustration, and Edward relinquished his grip around my waist, sensing that I needed space for the moment. His eyes were wary yet amused at the same time; lately, my short temper had been a source of humour for him.

"Why does it work for you?" I asked, as Edward swiftly put the Pop Tarts into a plastic carrier bag. He loped his arm through mine, and I leaned against him, more infuriated with the machine than Edward himself.

"You weren't doing it right," Edward said with a smirk. He surprised me by suddenly moving around and, rather than exiting the shop, walked back through the entrance.

"What're we doing?" I asked, confusion filling my words.

"Emmett asked me to pick up some Easter Eggs," Edward replied vaguely.

"Why?" I demanded.

"God knows," Edward replied, picking up a basket. "He asked for a few, though. Specifically requested Mars Bar and Lindor. He seems to think that you'd like some this year, though, considering that you downplayed Easter so much last year."

"I didn't want any chocolate," I said vaguely as Edward pulled some Mars Bar eggs from the shop shelf. He grabbed an unfamiliar Easter Egg, too; it was blue and green, with three bunnies inside. Lindor Bunny Egg, the box read.

Edward moved back to the self checkouts, with me in tow. I grumbled unintelligibly about the stupid machines, whilst Edward just smirked and scanned the four eggs. He shoved them into the same bag that contained my Pop Tarts.

I frowned and dug my hand into the bag, pulling my Pop Tarts to the top, and placing them carefully on top of the Mars egg. When Edward looked at me with one eyebrow raised questioningly, I simply said;

"I don't want them to get squashed," I defended myself as we climbed into the old Aston Martin. It was still gleaming, the engine still as enthusiastic as it was years ago, when I first met Edward.

It had been two years since Edward and I got married, and I was in my element. I'd always wanted to travel; I'd always felt trapped in La Push, and now, I could. We'd moved to Vancouver a couple of months ago, and the infamous Cullens were the talk of the town. We didn't live in Vancouver, just off of it - about five miles into the country. It was quiet, but I liked that. There was a house for all of us, and a few smaller cottages for us to live in privately. We were close enough to be near to one another, but far enough away to retain well needed privacy.

"We should go to Antarctica," I said.

"Antarctica?" Edward asked, amusement and shock filling his tone.

"Hear me out," I said as Edward turned out of the Walmart parking lot and made his way down the road. He put his foot down suddenly, and the car jolted forwards, the engine growling in enthusiasm. "Antarctica... It's cold, it's private, and I don't know, you could feed from penguins. We could save the polar bears..."

"Maybe we could take a holiday and go to Antarctica," Edward said, appeasing me. "Carlisle and Esme particularly enjoy Antarctica," he added.

"How come?" I asked. I was forever learning about the Cullens, and I often made Edward recount old memories... their lives were just so interesting. I didn't want to miss a thing.

"Carlisle has a very compassionate nature," Edward replied. "He and Esme particularly enjoy swimming with the polar bears."

I smiled. Carlisle and Esme were perfectly suited to one another.

Edward let out a groan suddenly. The smile fell from my face. He was looking straight ahead, a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned.

"You look so amazingly sexy when you smile like that," Edward replied, "and I can't kiss you when I'm driving..." I grinned.

"Sure you can't..." I leaned over, gently kissing him on the cheek.

He groaned. "Leah..."

I laughed. "Hold it in, Mr. Masen."

He threw me a level glare, before smiling and pushing the car to its limits as civilisation disappeared around us.

XXX

Mine and Edward's house was quite possibly the most beautiful piece of architecture that I had ever seen.

Esme was a genius; she had designed the house from scratch, planted ivy plants on the walls and painted the window sills a clear white. The house itself was made from grey stone, perfectly cemented together. On the left of the house, there was a tiny engraving in one of the stones, courtesy of Emmett. If you looked closely, you could read the message; Emmett woz 'ere.

I pulled out my silver house keys and jammed them into the lock, turning it quickly and finding the creak of the front door comforting. I entered the hallway, taking off my boots and putting them on the iron shoe stand - courtesy of Alice, of course.

The floor was wooden, slippery treads. It was deep brown, finely polished. The walls were painted a creamy white, with pictures of Edward and I on the walls. There were a couple of the whole Cullen family dotted around, too, as well as some of Rosalie's paintings.

Edward followed behind me, holding the Walmart bag. As always, we'd fought over who brought it inside, and Edward won. He was normally adamant, prepared to stand outside in the rain and argue about it. Normally, we had a mad race for the bag and dashed for the front door before the other could snatch it back. We were childish, ridiculous, but I thought it was fun, and so did Edward; or perhaps he was just insistent that I didn't carry anything.

I took off my coat and hung it up on one of the pegs, before trudging through the house into the lounge.

There was an old fashioned open fire in the centre of the wall, with an orange fire burning in the grate. A couple of black leather couches were set on the wooden floor, with a couple of armchairs, too.

Once there, I collapsed onto one of the couches, while Edward went to put the Pop Tarts away in the kitchen. He left the Easter Eggs in the bag by the door.

Edward came and sat beside me on the couch, suddenly picking me up and sitting me on his lap. I grinned at him, picking up my current book from the coffee table and opening it. Edward turned to the small flatscreen, turning it on with the remote and flicking onto the news.

"The news is depressing," I said.

"...Mother of four found seriously injured... critical condition... serial killer strikes again in LA... Series of robberies in Ottawa leaves police stumped..."

"You're right," Edward replied, reaching for the remote to turn the TV off.

After a couple of moments of silence, I frowned and chucked my book back onto the coffee table. I couldn't concentrate when I was sat on Edward's lap, knowing that he was analysing my every movement.

"Can we go upstairs?" I asked, curious.

Edward beamed toothily. "I thought you'd never ask."

XXX

"Helloooo? Anybody home?"

I'd heard Emmett and Rose pull up outside, both of them bickering quietly.

"Hi Em," I called from where I was curled up on the couch. Edward was in the kitchen preparing dinner; I was being lazy for once, and rather than arguing with him about who was going to bake as I normally did, I'd just allowed him to stand up and go cook.

"Hi Leah!" Emmett said, launching himself onto me and pulling me up into one of his bear hugs. He swung me around a couple of times, as if I was as weightless as a rag doll, before putting me back down on the couch. "And where is Eddie-Boy today?"

"Kitchen," I replied with a grin.

"Playing maid today Eddie?" Emmett called. A moment later, a random kitchen utensil - which happened to be a carving knife - was thrown towards Emmett. It bounced straight from him, cutting into his shirt but leaving Emmett himself completely unscathed. I looked down, seeing the bent blade of the knife on the ground.

"Edward Anthony Masen, you are replacing that knife," I called, not that bothered, but playing angry all the same.

"Yes Ma'am," I heard him reply.

"Dude, whipped," Emmett said under his breath.

"Emmett!" Rose interjected at this point. "Edward's just being a good husband. Apologise."

"Rosie..."

"Apologise."

"I'm sorry, Eddie."

I smirked.

"Dude, whipped," I repeated his earlier words, grinning at him tauntingly. Emmett shot me a death glare, before turning around and running a hand through his short black hair. He changed the subject.

"So, I hear you have some Easter Eggs with my name on them?" he asked conventionally.

"In the kitchen," I replied, gesturing. Rosalie sat down in the armchair opposite mine, looked at me with a calculating look looming in her eyes. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you still coming over tomorrow, then?" Rose asked, after a slightly awkward pause.

"Of course," I replied. The next day was Easter Sunday, and Edward and I would be going to the Cullen's main household. The Denali Coven had been invited - I wasn't entirely sure why, but I had a feeling that Alice was using Easter as an opportunity to throw a party or something. I smiled slightly at the thought of seeing the Denali Coven, though.

Kate and I had bonded surprisingly well, considering our polar opposite personalities. While I was quietly happy, yet cynical, Kate was fun loving and very happy-go-lucky. In some ways, she reminded me of Seth.

And of course, there was Joe. The newly turned, erratic, Joe. Tanya's mate, Joe from the pub, bastard, even.

Joe was changed four years ago, just a few years after he first met Tanya. The two were polar opposites, but their relationship reminded me of Edward and mine. Both completely in love, fascinated with one another because they were so different. And Joe, predictably, was gifted. He possessed an exceptionally thick skin; he was a shield, according to Edward. When Kate tried to use her gift against him, the electrical current bounced straight from his skin and instead hit Eleazar. It made sense; when we met in the bar, and I threw insults at him, they just bounced off of him.

"Why does Emmett want easter eggs, anyway?" I asked, focusing on the present.

"God knows," Rose replied.

"I'm not getting involved." I chuckled.

"C'mon, Eddie!" I looked up, and Emmett had been thrown over Edward's shoulder. The sight was utterly ridiculous, considering how much bigger Emmett was than Edward. Edward's expression was unamused.

"No, Emmett," his tone was firm.

"Leah, do you want to get ha-"

A moment later, Edward had forcibly thrown his brother out of the house, and the door slammed behind him.

"Eddie," Emmett whined from behind the door like a petulant child. "Please."

"No."

"Leah..." Emmett began again.

"Fuck," Edward swore, a rare occurrence. "Emmett, get out of my house."

"I'm not in your house," Emmett pointed out, his tone triumphant.

"This is ridiculous!" Edward exploded. "My wife is not going to get hammered for no reason!"

I rolled my eyes. "Edward, calm down. I'm not going to get drunk and make a fool out of myself in front of a bunch of vampires."

Edward turned to smirk at me. "Atta girl."

I rolled my eyes again. Edward was fully against my drinking alcohol, but sometimes a drink was nice. I didn't really like or dislike alcohol; it was just there as an option.

"Hmph," Emmett pouted from outside.

"Rosie, can we go now?"

"No," Rose replied, grinning at me. I smirked in response as I heard Emmett's annoyed growl from outside.

XXX

**A.N: So I got really inspired for the sequel and wrote up a bunch of chapters... I'm going to go and work on the wedding outtake: EPOV, and also E's birthday outtake too. Which one do you guys want first, and do you have any inspiring music for weddings/birthdays? Lemme know. **

**Next chapter preview: **

**Joe chuckled. "See, Em, I'm younger than you and I'm gentler," Joe hugged me lightly, barely even touching. **

**"Yes, but you're treating me like I'm some fragile doll," I said with a smirk. **

**Joe scowled. "My hugs are special." **

**Your thoughts/requests/music recs? **


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N: So… Hello there… **

**I am going to start with an apology. I'm sorry about my break. I'm sorry for not offering any reason about why I haven't updated. I'm not going to butter you guys up or bore you with reasons why I haven't… I'm just going to say Sorry. **

**I particularly like this chapter. I wrote it this afternoon, on my ancient laptop which - guess what? - has broken several times since my last update. I adore it though… I adore the inspiration that it brought me today. **

**Rambling. **

**Do enjoy! **

Chapter 2 - Easter Celebration

"Good morning world and all who inhabit it!"

A snarl of rage emitted from my mouth as I found myself being rudely torn from slumber. A ray of sunshine was covering my eyes, causing me to flinch as I opened my eyes. Another enraged growl left me as I ruthlessly picked up the alarm clock from the side of my bed and threw it towards the source of Emmett's voice.

"What are you doing in my house?" I yelled in frustration, sitting up and looking around the room. Edward was nowhere to be seen; I listened closely, finally hearing the sound of a frying pan sizzling from below. I smiled slightly - pancakes. My mouth water slightly at the concept.

"Edward let me in," Emmett replied.

"Yeah, I gathered that!" I responded animatedly, ready to throw something else at him. There was a jewellery box from Alice… But I'd grown rather attached to it, and I was pretty sure that Emmett would find it funny, and Alice would be offended. "Why are you here?"

"It's Easter!" Emmett said, as if it was obvious. I ground my teeth, and threw one of my pillows at the buffoon.

"If you don't leave in the next three seconds…" I began my threat, feeling a grim smile tug up the left side of my mouth. "I will come over there and make sure that the scent of my morning breath never leaves your nostrils. Ever."

Emmett's eyes widened as if I'd just told him that I was going to rip him up and eat him. I was a little surprised that the threat had worked; apparently my morning breath really was bad.

"One…" I began. Emmett looked deeply torn, eyes flickering from left to right as he considered. "Two…" I counted off, preparing to dive onto the buffoon that I called my brother-in-law.

Emmett's eyes widened a little further - there was a ring of white around his golden irises.

"Three."

Before I could spring from the bed and propel myself across the room at the giant idiot, he had disappeared - out of the window. I heard the low thud of him landing on the gravel, followed by the turbulence of his departure.

I grinned widely in triumph, fully intending to go back to sleep - until the scent of Edward's infamous pancakes met my nostrils and caused me to beam, my eyes snapping open as they glued to the door.

The door swung open, the hinges creaking slightly.

Edward frowned at the sound as he entered, his eyebrows pulling together and his golden eyes appearing troubled. He smiled at me though, exposing his sharp white teeth. I was overcome with the desire to hug him - and apparently Edward heard this thought, as he wrapped his arms around me tightly, embracing me. The tray of pancakes at the edge of the bed was momentarily forgotten as he whispered in my ear.

"Happy Easter."

He pulled away, and kissed me. It was a quick peck, but I had forbidden make out sessions in the morning. My morning breath was hideous, obviously; though Edward said he found nothing wrong with the scent, I certainly did.

"I see that you handled Emmett well," Edward commented wryly, slipping into the bed beside me as I picked up the tray of pancakes and placed them on my lap. I carefully cut off a piece, bringing it to my mouth and practically inhaling the goodness of Edward's pancakes.

I smirked. "I didn't realise my morning breath was that bad," I mused out loud.

Edward looked ready to butt in and protest about how my morning breath was barely noticeable, but I held up a hand to stop him.

"No morning kisses," I responded to what he hadn't said.

He pouted.

"We're expected at the main house today," Edward told me as I continued on with my pancakes. I nodded along, not pausing in my bites. "Carlisle and Esme are making a Sunday dinner for you, and the rest of the extended family will be there, of course."

I smiled. The Denali Family. It had been too long since I'd last seen them.

"And no alcohol," I replied, amused.

Edward laughed. "No. I'm sorry… if I appeared overbearing yesterday when Emmett suggested it. I just worry about you, sweetheart…"

I smiled again. "Well don't, silly!" I laughed, leaning into him. "I can look after myself."

Edward smiled, but the expression didn't quite reach his eyes.

"We look after each other," I added, still smiling. "I worry about you too."

He smiled back, and gently pressed his lips to mine.

XXX

"Leah Clearwater Masen!"

I laughed out loud as I heard Joe say my name. The transition from 'Clearwater' to 'Cullen' had taken me by surprise, but I loved it all the same. Edward looked at me questioningly, and I smiled back at him, looping my arm through his.

The Jeep pulled to a halt on the Cullen's drive, the tyres grinding into the gravel. Edward pulled on the handbrake and jumped out of the car - I followed him, jumping out over the door and landing on the ground gracefully, before straightening up.

Before I could prepare myself, Joe had pulled me into a hug.

He spun me around in his hands, tossed me up into the air and then winced as my foot came down heavily on his eye as I returned to earth. The vampire retreated a few feet, beaming at me smugly.

"Hi Leah!" he said.

"Why does everyone throw me around like I'm the smallest?" I asked nobody in particular. "Alice is the smallest."

Hearing me say her name, Alice rushed out of the house. She then proceeded to grab me, spin me around and throw me into the air effortlessly, smirking at me smugly as she disappeared, effectively proving her point.

I was the weakest. And that stung.

"You're the strongest to me," Edward said, and though the line was several miles over 'cheesy' I smiled, and pecked him on the cheek.

"Happy Easter," I commented wryly, wondering if anybody would return the gesture.

"Happy Easter!" Esme called, rushing down the path and across the lawn to where I stood. She pulled me into a hug, grinned hugely, before leaning across to whisper inconspicuously in my ear. "Emmett made a cake."

"I did not!" Emmett sounded insulted at the fact that his masculinity was being questioned. "I don't even know how to bake a Victoria Sponge."

I raised my eyebrows at him, and he seemed to realise what he'd said.

"Esme talks about them all the time," he lied through his teeth, before disappearing into the house.

"What's the plan, then?" I asked as Edward and I followed the vampire procession indoors. He put his arm around me, pulled me into his chest slightly, and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Emmett's going to try and get you to eat some Easter Eggs… He's also going to try and create his own eggs, and persuade everyone to have an egg hunt in the forest."

"Is he insane?" I replied, my voice at normal volume. All of the vampires looked at me with expressions of equal surprise on their faces, and I blushed.

"Sorry."

Edward chuckled as the vampires resumed what they were doing, leading me straight past the lounge and upstairs.

The mansion was even larger than before, if that was possible. There were three floors, and the third was dedicated entirely to Edward's instruments. He was touched that his family would keep his hobby so close, even when he wasn't technically living with them.

"Come on," he said, scooping me up into his arms and suddenly racing up the stairs. We passed the door to Carlisle's study, but didn't stop there, only finally coming to a halt as we stopped beside the grand piano hidden in the loft.

"It's beautiful," I commented, pressing my fingers to the oak. Edward smiled at me, joining me at the piano. He opened the lid gently, before pressing his pale fingers to the ivories.

"Hmm…" he mused, playing a chord. The notes were soft, mellow yet harmonic. "Have you ever heard 'Anna'?" he asked, sounding curious.

Anna. Anna, Anna… the name played through my mind as I considered, drawing several memories. I recalled the time when the third grader pushed me into the sand box and tried to stand on my hair… she was called Anna.

I frowned. "No."

Edward frowned too. "I wonder if she's still alive…" he mused.

"No," I repeated, firm. Edward flashed me a smile.

"Anna," he continued. "It's a beautiful piece. Listen."

He played the opening notes on the piano, and smiled to himself as he played.

"It's an orchestral composition," he continued. "So the piano part is slightly lacking. It doesn't quite capture the essence and melody line of the piece. I've got the music somewhere… Esme often tidied up here though, so it's probably hidden away."

Hearing Edward speak about his music with such an animated fascination in his voice made me smile. I loved the fact that he was so sincere and absorbed in the musical world. When I asked him if there was anything about music that he didn't know, he laughed.

'Music isn't that simple. It's a living, breathing thing. There's always more to learn; that's why I love it so much.'

"I'll play it on the viola for you," Edward said, apparently oblivious to my inner musings. He ran across the room and produced a leather viola case, unzipping it quickly and tightening the bow. He ran the bow across the rosin that had appeared in his other hand, before raising it to the strings and playing the beginning notes.

As I listened, another melody accompanied the viola. I was confused for a moment, as it was clear that there was no other instrument playing, but then I realised; Edward was humming along.

His voice was magical; I had realised that the first time I heard him humming to himself. His voice was deep and pure, melodic and strangely captivating. I'd never heard another voice like his. I wondered if the voice was another trait of vampirism, or if it was just something that Edward had always possessed.

He stopped suddenly, placing the viola down and moving across the room. He rummaged in one of the drawers in his filing cabinet, before letting out a triumphant exclamation and holding up a yellowing piece of manuscript.

XXX

"I was the first to buy a copy," Edward commented, laying out the music on a music stand. He carried the stand over to where I stood, adjusting the height almost absentmindedly, before passing me a shoulder rest. I adjusted that to my shoulder, before looking down in quiet dismay.

"I didn't bring the violin."

"Don't worry," Edward replied. "I've got another one. A Gliga Gem. It's Romanian, but exceptionally good quality. Not what you're used to, but I adore the tone," he smiled at me, before passing me another leather instrument case.

I unzipped it, the sound loud in the silence. Edward shot me a grin as I pulled the instrument from it's case, and for a moment, I could only gaze admiringly at it.

It was slightly more red than brown, yet it had a very 'classic' violin feel to it. I carefully fitted the shoulder rest to the instrument before placing it to my shoulder, resting my jaw against it.

I looked to the music.

And then, suddenly, Edward was counting.

"One, two, three, four," he said.

I was stunned by the gentleness of the song as it played through, and soon I found myself putting my all into the instrument, instantly being rewarded by the luxurious mellow tone of the violin. I watched Edward as he played through the piano solo, enjoyed the display of quiet concentration. He looked up at me as he finished, and a beaming grin appeared on his face.

And as the song finished, I beamed hugely at him.

He was across the room like a flash, and I barely had time to place my violin down on the chair beside me before he enveloped me in a kiss, wrapping his arms around my body and hugging me to him. He tugged gently at my hair as I kissed him back, grabbing at the collar of his shirt before reaching up to tangle my fingers in his golden bronze hair.

Ginger, my mind supplied.

I kissed him again, remembering the promise I had made after our wedding.

"I love you," Edward whispered. "So, so much. I don't know how anything ever compared to you. I don't even know how I never noticed before. You are my light, Leah Cullen, and you will continue to be the thing that keeps me standing for the rest of our existence."

I smiled. Ginger.

Another kiss, followed by a low, growling purr from Edward. I grinned, giving him one final kiss before pulling away.

"Come on, Edward," I said, taking his hand. I looped my fingers through his, enjoying the slight burn of the sensation. Everything about him made me tingle; my skin zinged with satisfaction. "We've got some socialising to do."

XXX

The socialising portion of the day was actually surprisingly long. I found myself looking at Edward far too often, longing to be alone with him. Joe noticed my glances of course, and teased me before focusing his attention on Tanya. We were both longing for our partners, it seemed.

"Dinner!" Emmett sang.

I was slightly surprised that we'd spent so long at the Cullen's household, but didn't comment on it. Instead, I went through to the dining room where a large, no, spectacularly massive Sunday Roast was laid out on the table.

"I'm carving the chicken!" Emmett said enthusiastically.

As I ate the meal, more and more of the vampires came through. Some of them talked, some of them watched me eat. It was slightly disconcerting, but when I looked at Edward and saw him watching my progress eating, I relaxed visibly.

He found it funny.

"So," Emmett began, as I finished my chocolate gateau slice. "Shall we do the egg hunt now, or later?"

I frowned.

"Later."

"How much later?"

"Never, later," I replied, grinning slightly.

Emmett pouted. "Please," he begged. "I never got to do this when I was human."

I frowned. "You're vampires, Emmett. This is pointless."

He pouted further.

"I'm not giving in," I said firmly…

XXX

"Damn it all."

I was stood outside of the Cullen's house, wrapped in a somehow trendy parka coat, with the hood up. It was cold, too cold for Easter.

The vampires beside me wore nothing other than T-shirts and jeans, or joggers depending on their tastes. Edward wore a white T-shirt that was slim fitting, showing off his abs for the world to see. He beamed at me, winked inconspicuously as he saw me examining him.

And while Edward was stood there in all of his glory, I was wrapped up in a parka, unable to look more unattractive if I tried.

"You look fine," Alice commented, guessing my thoughts.

I snorted.

"Attention," Emmett said briskly. I looked up at him, my eyes slits as I glared. "We will be split into two teams. Team Masen," he gestured to me and Emmett. "And Team McCarthy," he pointed at himself and Rose.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"The team to find the most eggs wins. Carlisle and Esme have hidden these eggs, to ensure that there is no cheating."

He stepped back to stand by his wife, looking like a military professional as he clasped his hands together.

Carlisle and Esme divided the remaining Cullens and Denalis into the two teams.

Team Masen consisted of myself, Edward, Jasper, Joe, Tanya, and Carmen.

Team McCarthy consisted of Emmett, Rose, Alice, Eleazar and Kate.

` "Ready team?" I heard Emmett saying animatedly.

I rolled my eyes. "Can we win so that he doesn't continue to mention this for the next few millennia?"

"We can try," Edward replied wryly.

For the next few hours, I found myself running around the forest in the dim light, trying to seek out hidden eggs from under plants. By the time we'd finished, my face was smeared with mud and my temper was no better for the activity.

I glared at Emmett as he counted up the eggs, his team winning by two. He smiled right at me, and the smug expression sickened me. I resisted the urge to throw one of the eggs right at his nose.

"Right, that's done with," Carlisle said firmly, smiling at me. He'd seemed to pick up on my mood, and shot me a smile. I smiled back gratefully, and Jasper sent me a wave of calm.

"Home, then?" Edward asked as the rest of the Cullen family disappeared into the house. From the outside, it seemed relaxed and homey; however I could hear the slowly expediting argument between Joe and Emmett.

"No, my hugs are better!" Emmett was saying loudly.

"No, mine are," Joe continued, barely refraining from yelling at my idiotic brother in law.

Edward chuckled. "I'll get the jeep," he said, disappearing to the front of the house where he'd parked the vehicle.

"Why are they arguing about hugging?" I muttered, knowing that the vampires would hear me.

"I have absolutely no idea," Esme called from the direction of the kitchen.

A moment later, silence filled the house, and then, suddenly -

Two vampires raced across the lawn at top speed, Joe stopping a few feet away from me.

However, Emmett's lack of personal space knowledge meant that he didn't stop, instead barrelling into me and pulling me into a crushing hug. I pulled away with a groan, pushing the vampire away.

"Emmett, what the hell?"

"That was a good hug, wasn't it?" He responded, animated.

"No," I said. "That hurt."

Joe stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around me in a hug.

He chuckled. "See, Em, I'm younger than you and I'm gentler," he hugged me lightly, barely even touching.

"Yes, but you're treating me as if I'm some fragile doll," I responded ith a smirk.

He scowled. "My hugs are special."

"Both of your hugs are special in different ways," I said. "Now I'm leaving. Goodnight, goodbye."

Joe frowned. "We're leaving in the morning."

"Oh," I said, momentarily stumped. "Best say goodbye now then," I leaned up to hug Joe properly, pecked him on the cheek in a family gesture. I pulled away and smiled at him. "Tell your family that I said goodbye. See you soon."

Joe grinned. "Damn right."

I walked away across the lawn, to the front gardens where Edward was sat in his jeep, humming quietly to himself. He smiled when he noticed me, putting one arm around my shoulders as he gunned the engine.

The jeep sped off into the night, and I smiled happily, leaning into my husband's cold embrace.

XXX

AN: Thanks for reading :)

**A.N: If you get the quote at the beginning, I will dedicate a chapter to you! The quote from the first line…**

**PS: If you review, please don't shout too loudly. : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N: Whoaaa guys! I love you! I got… 6 reviews after my absence! The same again would be lovely, any more would be fantabulous! Please and thanks : ) **

**So I like this one, and so does my beta. Do enjoy. **

XXX

Chapter 3 - Nightmares

'_Dear God, please just let this be a bad nightmare.' _

_- Roy Horn _

_A child's face loomed out of the darkness. _

_Perhaps my unconsciousness had chosen that time to play tricks on me, because the face that I could see seemed sickeningly familiar. When I tried to recall a name, or even a place where I'd seen the face before, my mind rebelled against me. It was startlingly familiar, yet I was certain that I had never seen it before. _

_The child had a found face, with chubby cheeks and plump red lips. He had soft red hair, and russet skin, with bright hazel eyes that seemed to gleam through the gloomy atmosphere of my dream. As the child looked at me, his eyes widened, exposing the clear whites of his eyes. His mouth popped open in shock, exposing a small set of perfect creamy teeth. _

_I was overtaken with the irresistible urge to bring him into my arms and hug him; he looked scared, and all I wanted to do was comfort him. _

"_No," the little boy whispered brokenly, his eyes fixated on me. "Mommy." _

_The air whooshed from my lungs in a quick gasp, rendering me quietly terrified and momentarily defenceless. I stared back at him in anguish, his name finally coming to my mind, as did the place where I had first met him. _

Harry Clearwater; Forks Hospital, Room 6.

_A hideous, ripping sob escaped from my chest and I stumbled backwards, tears forming in my eyes as I blinked hard, trying to dispel them and calm down. Loosing control of my emotions would solve nothing, I already knew that; but I couldn't quite figure out how to get a handle on them. _

"_Phasing…" the little boy said, his voice childlike and nervous. It cracked. _

_He approached me, his entire body becoming visible through the darkness. I almost smiled as the tears ran down my cheeks; he wore a little navy blue T-shirt and some beige cargo pants. _

"_Phasing…" he repeated, sounding a little firmer. "Phasing is bad." _

_As he spoke, it seemed as if he'd set the catalyst for a disaster. A metallic clang echoed through the darkness, reverberating through my bones. I jumped back, momentarily startled before trying to reach out to Harry, to protect him. _

"_Don't phase Mommy," he said, as my hands sought him through the darkness. "Don't. Please." _

_There was a terrifying, high pitched shriek that echoed through the darkness, and Harry's mouth dropped open in fear. A small whimper escaped him before he was suddenly sucked backwards through the gloomy darkness, further and further away from me. _

"No!"

"Leah, Leah, what's wrong?"

The darkness of my room seemed sickeningly familiar, only reminding me of the hideous dream. I cringed violently, looking for Edward but not quite being able to focus on him as the words of my unborn son echoed through my mind, haunting me.

Two cold palms suddenly rested against either side of my face, lightly cushioning my cheeks and pulling me around to look at my husband. Edward looked even more terrified than I felt, if that was possible. His eyes were widened in alarm as he repeatedly asked what was wrong.

The dream seemed so realistic, so _vivid. _I felt my grip on reality slackening as I thought, the words stuck on repeat, echoing through my mind as I panicked.

_Phasing is bad. _

Was it just a link from my subconscious, an old guilt about my unborn son because I had been incapable of controlling my temper, and for that reason he had passed? Or was it something more… My Father had always claimed I had an eerie sixth sense, a knack for feeling when something was not right.

My mind whirred with speed, considering everything. Numerous options flew through my mind.

In phasing, I had lost my first child… for a moment, I considered. What if I could become pregnant, so long as I didn't phase…? How would I possibly know; I had never tested out the theory, and I was the only female shape shifter known to the La Push legends.

My idea was derailed as I thought it through. Edward was a _vampire. _The scientific side of things told me that it was impossible for him to ever contribute towards a baby…

"She's not responding."

My head snapped up, my grip on reality suddenly coming back as I looked at my husband. My eyes locked onto Edward's black ones. I noticed that he appeared beyond alarmed, silently appraising me from where he sat on the edge of our double bed.

"She responded to that," he repeated down the phone.

"No," I said. My voice was wrong; it was hoarse, and it cracked. "I'm okay. I'm sorry."

I didn't realise that tears had formed in my eyes; I hastily brushed them away before they could fall, and in another instant Edward had crossed the room to wrap his arms around me in a soft, yet amazingly comforting embrace.

I let out a shaky breath, leaned into him heavily.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, his breath tickling my ear.

"Just surprised," I knew that he wouldn't miss the way that I avoided the question.

"That doesn't answer the question," Edward replied; I knew he wouldn't let it go, either. It was another one of the traits that I could fine both irritating and endearing.

A crackling sound came from below; I looked down to see my mobile in Edward's hands.

Edward shot me an apologetic look as he pressed the phone to his ear.

"She's fine now," he said. "Just a little shocked, I think."

"_Can I speak to her?" _Carlisle's voice replied.

Edward didn't reply, just handed me the phone and muttered a quick apology.

"Hello?" my voice was still hoarse; I coughed, and hated the way that my throat burned as if I was swallowing vinegar.

I felt a quick draft as Edward disappeared, but tried to ignore that for the moment.

"Leah," Carlisle said, his voice warm yet concerned. "Are you okay? Edward told me that you were experiencing symptoms of shock…"

"I was just taken by surprise," I replied, my voice steadier, but my throat still burning as Edward suddenly reappeared.

He was holding a glass of water. I smiled and blew him a kiss - feeling much more normal - before downing half of the glass.

"If you're sure," Carlisle didn't sound convinced.

"I am," I said, focusing on anything but memories of my nightmare. "Goodnight."

I put the phone down and threw it across the room - luckily Edward's vampire reflexes made sure that he could dash across the room, catch it in the palm of his hand, and place it back on the side of the bedside table. He then proceeded to pick me up and carry me back to the bed, sitting down so that I rested on his lap.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice calm. He wasn't trying to force an answer; he was just asking.

"Just had a surprising dream," it sounded better than saying 'nightmare.' What grown woman was still having nightmares that she couldn't handle, anyway?

"I didn't hear anything," Edward sounded forlorn.

I was surprised. Normally Edward heard all of my dreams and frequently commented on them; particularly if they were about him.

"Oh," I said, leaning back into the crook of his neck. For a moment, we just sat together in silence, before I leaned into him and closed my eyes, trying to dispel any lingering images of my son.

XXX

"Ugh."

I awoke with a banging headache pounding repeatedly at my skull. I stumbled blindly from my bed, clutching my head with one hand and vaguely regretting not getting drunk the previous night. At least I would have had a reason for the headache if I had decided to drink.

I staggered blindly towards the bathroom, muttering obscenities as I stubbed my toe on the doorframe before reaching the bathroom cabinet, pulling out a Tylenol, and swallowing it whole. I instantly regretted it, as the sensation in my throat felt as if I was going to get bruising.

I leaned back against the pillows as I returned to the bedroom, enjoying the coolness. I wondered where Edward was, and I was just about to summon the energy to grab my phone and ring him, when I heard the front door close gently.

I listened to Edward's ascent up the stairs, and heard the banister creak as he swung around it lightly. A moment later, the door to the bedroom swung open with a barely audible 'thump' as it bounced from the wall behind it.

"Good morning, my beautiful wife," Edward said with a grin, pulling me into a hug.

"Ugh," I moaned.

"Headache?" he asked, sounding slightly concerned.

"Yes," I replied grouchily.

"Well don't worry, the Tylenol will kick in soon."

Edward went downstairs to make me breakfast - bless him - while I had a quick shower. I changed into a stretch-cotton T-shirt and some skinny jeans, looking towards my slipper boots before shrugging to myself and pulling them on. I also wore the wolf socks that Seth had gotten me the previous Christmas.

I skipped from the bathroom, humming happily - because my headache had subsided - and jumped onto the already made double bed, smiling as I caught the scent of pancakes.

"I love you," I said, as Edward opened the door.

He beamed, ran to the bed and put the pancakes down, before suddenly picking me up and delivering the most passionate kiss he'd given me all week. I kissed him back, glad that I'd chosen to brush my teeth before breakfast, and let out a sigh of disappointment as he pulled away.

_The passion between us will never die, _I thought to myself with a smile. Most couples were settling at this point, still kissing but not with the same amount of passion and lust as they had when they first met. For Edward and I, the spark had never flickered, not even for a second. It burned just as brightly as it did when we first met.

"No, it will never die," Edward said, his voice deep. "It will never waver, not even for a second. I believe in us."

I smiled. "So do I," I replied, before he leaned forwards to resume our kissing.

XXX

At six o'clock in the evening, I found myself dressed in a plain black hoodie and some old baggy jeans, as well as my favourite - if not slightly worn - pair of white trainers. Everyone's favourite weather girl had predicted a thunderstorm, and so we were going to play baseball.

"Ready?" Edward asked. Rather than meeting up with the rest of the Cullens at their house as normal, we were going to meet them at the baseball field. It wasn't as large as the one at Forks, but it certainly did the job that it needed to.

"Yep," I replied, slinging my backpack over my shoulder before climbing into the car eagerly.

Edward chuckled at my enthusiasm, and gently slung one arm around my shoulders as he gunned the engine of the jeep and sped towards the field.

XXX

"Leah!"

I grinned in satisfaction as the ball whizzed towards me. Alice's bowling techniques had nothing to be desired; she had the poise and angle perfect as it barrelled towards me at top speed. For a moment, I thought that my timing was off as I brought the bat forwards, and - with an almighty 'BANG' - hit the ball into the surrounding forest.

I ran.

I slipped slightly on the damp grass, but ignored the sensation as I passed first base, turned slightly and charged towards second.

"STUMP IT!" Rose was yelling. Sometimes, she could be almost as competitive as her husband.

I didn't stop, didn't consider looking left or right and loosing my concentration to see where the ball was, and how far off I was being out.

I looked from the corner of my eye.

Emmett held the ball, and he was already throwing it to fourth - and I was already past third.

I leapt through the air, fully intending to phase mid air, when suddenly, a sense of deja vu went through me, leaving me confused as the words echoed through my head once again.

_Phasing is bad. _

I was completely disorientated as I heard Rose and Emmett's cries of triumph from afar. Rose, at fourth, held the ball in one hand, triumphant.

I walked off of the field and sat down on the grass, watching the game.

"Are you okay?"

Alice appeared in front of me, a concerned expression on her face. Her brow was creased in thought.

"Yeah," I said with a shrug. "Just off of my game."

"You didn't phase," Alice said. I looked around; the other Cullens seemed to be oblivious to our conversation, yelling obscenities as they tried to get other players out.

"I decided not to," my voice didn't sound quite as innocent as I'd expected.

"I know," Alice replied. "Why?"

"It doesn't matter," I said.

"If it's bothering you…"

"Don't worry, Ali," I said, my smile slightly forced. "I'm fine."

Alice brightened, apparently fooled by my expression. "Okay, if you're sure!" she said, standing. "Remember, if you ever need to talk about stuff, I'm here!"

She skipped away, and I watched her go with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

_What's wrong with me? _I asked myself, quietly worried about my own mental state. _Why am I lying to my family? _

XXX

**A.N: **

**Phasing Forms - Thanks for reviewing : ) I love music, so I couldn't resist overdoing it a little bit. Love the piece, as well, even if teenagers aren't meant to be fans of orchestral music lol. **

**National Anthem - SpongeBob is still my favourite TV program. : ) thanks for your review! **

**Marie One - Thank you! *sends smiles back* **

**Bibika94 - The action starts here : ) explanations… well, I wasn't planning on including it actually, but I might do. Just in case I don't; Jacob and Bella were in a car crash - just a human disaster, but lethal enough. Hope the update was soon enough, thanks again for your review! **

**Brankel - I used to do Easter Egg hunts too! One time, it was snowing in April (bit weird for England) but I still went outside looking for eggs. I love Emmett's kiddie side, it makes me laugh. Thanks as always! **

**Jada91 - Thanks for reviewing! **

**EVERYONE: Let me know your thoughts, and I apologise that this update was later than expected, I got banned from FF for having an illegal summary. Hmph. So if any of you guys read **_**Because You're Worth Fighting For **__**it now doesn't exist because I only had a copy on FF… **_

_**SAD FACE! I was quite proud of it. **_

_**Anyway, byez! **_


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N: Hello! **

**A quick thank you to all of my reviewers : ) So I read this fic, and the writer was asking for reviews, pleading as most of us do. *shifty eyes* so I wondered, what would happen if you asked people to not review? **

**I'm not testing that theory, I was just wondering lol.  
**

**So, anyway. I'll reply to reviews at the bottom, thank you for all of the comments! It does mean a lot. Really. Would I Lie To You? *smirk* I wonder if my British readers will get that... Anywho. Enjoy. It's one of my favourites so far. Even though it's slightly depressing. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Fears

The nightmares continued.

At first, I thought that my mind was restless because I was homesick; but even as I considered it, the theory didn't make much sense. I hadn't completely seperated myself from Seth and Mom. As the days of nightmares turned into weeks, I started to realise that my problem definitely had nothing to do with homesickness.

Edward was quietly, yet obviously terrified. He continued to insist that I spoke to Carlisle about the problems, and got an evaluation to try and treat my problem with nightmares. When I refused, he demanded for me to speak to some doctor, even if it wasn't Carlisle.

I became angry at his continual pressing of the matter. I was trying to forget the nightmares during the day; I didn't want to be plagued by them for my waking life as well as my unconscious one. When Edward continued to plead and beg, I snapped at him. He drew into himself, flinched every time I made a sudden movement and looked at me with large, haunted black eyes when he thought that I wasn't looking.

As one week stretched into two, I found myself being violently sick after my nightmares. My sickness only served as the catalyst for disaster as Edward took up an exceptionally firm tone and tried to play the guilt card on me. He gave me an ultimatum. I had to take myself to the doctors, or he would do it, even if I kicked and screamed the entire time.

His quiet, calming tone set off my stubborn side, and my skin flushed as I raged and stormed at him in fury. The atmosphere in the house was hideous, and I frequently left to try and clear my head. Unfortunately, the red haze of anger and tiredness followed me wherever I went. I felt hideous, and the guilt ate away at my insides every time I blew off my steam at Edward.

As we came closer to the 'three week' mark, since the nightmares had begun, somebody in the Cullen house decided that it was time for them to stage an intervention.

It was a sunny Tuesday morning. I imagined Edward glittering like a disco ball as I slowly returned to consciousness, and I smiled at the image, momentarily content. My nightmares hadn't been quite as severe as they usually were, and I was in a content mood. I smiled, my fingers grasping at the sheets as I looked for my husband.

I came up short, and one of my eyes opened.

He was gone.

For a moment, fear locked around my heart like ice. I was terrified that he had left me for good, that he wouldn't come back. My eyes filled with tears of anger and fear as I looked around the room for some hint as to where he had gone.

My eyes stopped on a small yellowing envelope. I picked it up, noting the fact that someone – it wasn't Edward's handwriting – had written my name in elegant, cursive handwriting. My hands were shaking as I read through the note.

_Leah, _it said.

_Alice and Rose decided that you needed to speak to somebody other than us. I'm hurt. Anyway, she's expecting you to arrive at about midday. Don't dawdle, your Mother is waiting! Have fun today, take a load off and hopefully when you come back both you and Eddie will be in a better mood._

_Run safe now,_

_Emmett xxx_

I smiled, a sense of excitement filling me as I realised that I would be speaking to my Mother. Something about the idea was solid, comforting. I found myself beaming as I ran to my wardrobe, flicking through my articles of clothing and finally producing a pair of sweatpants. When I was a new wolf, I always wore sweatpants because they were relatively disposable. Of course, the pair that I had now was designer, but they were probably still cheaper than my jeans.

I rushed into the bathroom, imagining the scent of the sea water in La Push, and the comforting smile of my Mother as I prepared for the day.

* * *

The run didn't take as long as I'd originally anticipated.

Under normal circumstances, I would have taken my time with the run, and enjoyed the scenery as it whirled past me at top speed. However, on my way down to La Push, I could only focus on my destination, and for that reason, it seemed as if my paws moved twice as fast, clouds of dirt forming behind me.

It took about an hour and a half, altogether. I was impressed, and I smiled in my wolf form as I caught the familiar scent of the wolves. It was slightly strange, almost unpleasant considering the fact that I was used to the scent of vampires. I shrugged it off, continued my running until I found myself at the edge of First Beach.

I phased back, wandered across the beach in my bare feet. The sand against my toes brought back a world of memories, but I fought them back. I was there to enjoy my time with my Mother, not become submerged in the slightly depressing past.

_Jacob. _The name of my friend echoed around my head. I increased my speed, trying to get away from the memories; as if I could outrun them.

The ceremonial goodbye had taken place on First Beach. I could recall the day with perfect clarity.

_The sea was a deep, foreboding grey as I strode across the sand, not allowing my feet to sink. I was focused, one foot after another as I walked. If I tried to think about anything else, I would fall apart. The cool hand that was firm around my own was a source of comfort. I looked up into the eyes of my husband, and he nodded at me, squeezed my hand to give my strength._

I flinched, feeling my hands clench into fists as the memory flashed, and I recalled the coffin as I passed the midway point of the beach.

_It was a double coffin. They had always been exceptionally close, and it was no different. I was grateful that it was a closed casket funeral; I wouldn't have been able to manage seeing their faces, tranquil and still. I stiffened, my hand forming a vice around Edward's. He shot me a look, squeezed my hand again._

_The coffin was oak, with golden handles and a display of flowers across the top. Freesias littered the top of the coffin, pale white, and some lilac lavender lightly perfumed the air. It was beautiful._

I quickened my steps, fighting the onslaught of emotions.

"_They're in a better place," Edward whispered to me, trying to soothe._

_I looked across the beach to where Billy sat in his wheelchair. The ancient grief in his eyes astounded me. He was a burning man. His wife, his son and his daughter in law... I stiffened, trying to stop the tears as I thought of the unimaginable pain that he must have been in._

"_That doesn't make it all right," my voice cracked._

"_I know," he whispered, putting an arm around my waist. I pulled a tissue from my black coat, dabbed at the tears in my eyes._

My walking quickly turned into jogging, my mind repeating a mantra. _Come on, come on, control yourself..._

_My Mother, Billy, and Renee and Charlie had organised the events of the funeral. The coffin would be sent out to see on a small raft, and it would be set alight. It would be visible from the cliffs of La Push; everybody would know what was happening. They would be sent off in the evening, when the clouds were greying but it was still just light enough to be able to see._

"_It's time," Edward whispered, his voice barely audible._

_I watched as the raft was pushed out to see by the more senior members of the Pack. Tears cascaded down Seth's cheeks as the raft drifted outwards, burning fiery orange and red. I cried silently, catching the tears on my cheeks._

_I imagined the fear that they would have felt in that final moment, imagined the way that they would have unconsciously grasped onto one another for protection... I closed my eyes for a moment, wishing that it was all some hideous nightmare._

I full on sprinted from the beach, my breathing ragged – but not from exertion. My face felt hot, but I had managed to prevent any tears coming to my eyes. I sat down on one of the benches at the edge of the grassy verge leading down to the beach, buried my head in my knees for a moment.

"Leah?"

My head snapped up instinctively at the sound of my brother's voice. Without even thinking about what I was doing, I had propelled myself towards him, and I proceeded to bury my head in his shoulder, breathing heavily and trying to rid my mind of the memories that had plagued me just a few moments ago.

"Seth!" I said, ecstatic as I shook off the last of my sombre thoughts, hugging him tightly.

"Whoa sis, don't crush me," he said with a laugh.

"Did Alice call? Or Rose," I added as an afterthought.

"Don't know," Seth replied. "I've been on patrol all night. I was just on my way home, actually. Fancy a race?"

I grinned at the challenge.

"Dude, I will thrash you," I said with a smirk.

Seth lowered his stance, leaning forwards with one leg outstretched behind him.

"I bet you can't," he said with a provocative grin. "Three, two, one, go!"

* * *

"...Damn it, Leah..."

I was laughing as I tore straight up the stairs leading into the house. I crossed the lounge, bounded into the kitchen and enveloped my Mother into a large hug. She made a noise of surprise, but she laughed loudly and turned in my embrace to return the hug.

"Leah!" she said with a huge smile. "Oh, I've missed you so much..."

"I've missed you too," I said, not relinquishing my hold. It had been too long since I last saw my Mother. I hadn't quite realised how much I'd felt her absence. Esme was the perfect Mother, but I wasn't a child. Sometimes it was nice to go back to pretending to still be Mother's girl.

Mom told me to go and shower, and so I did, albeit grudgingly. I washed my hair, smiling at the gesture as I noticed that there was a bottle of my old minty shampoo in the shower. I didn't bother blow drying my hair, just left it to try naturally as I pulled on an old pair of sweats and a tank top.

"Coffee?" Mom called from the kitchen as I sank down onto the couch. I leaned back, enjoying the familiar feel of the couch as it sank.

"Not tea?" I answered with a question.

"Coffee or coffee," Mom answered, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

I grinned. "Coffee."

"The first one or the second?"

"Surprise me."

I was grinning at our banter as I heard the clinking of mugs, followed by the sound of the kettle boiling. I turned on the television, tuning out the sound of the news as I looked around the room.

A new picture of Seth was present on the wall, I noted. She'd re-varnished the coffee table. There was a layer of dust on the mantel piece yet all of the pictures were perfectly clear of it. The photo of me was gleaming. I sighed. _She misses me._

A couple of moments later, Mom entered the room. She held two mugs; a personalised 'Leah' mug and a 'World's Best Mom' mug. She put mine down on the coffee table, and I grinned widely.

It was tea; not coffee.

"I wanted coffee," I lied with a straight face.

Mom stuck her tongue out. "Shut up, drink."

I laughed, sat down and picked up the mug. Mom flinched as she watched.

"I still haven't gotten used to your resistance to high temperatures," she said, looking at my hands, which were wrapped around the mug. "That would have hurt me."

I chuckled. "Werewolf quirks."

We talked about normal things, at first. I discussed my life with Edward, she told me about life in La Push. When I asked about the 'man front' as I had dubbed it in my own mind, she suddenly went quiet and a subtle flush lit up her cheeks.

"...Mom?" I asked, my tone incredibly surprised.

"Nothing's going on," she said, and I could tell that she was telling the truth. "Charlie Swan has been spending a lot of time here... we're both lonely now, you see. Since Bella, bless her soul, passed, we've been spending time together. He's a very gentlemanly man," she smiled. "Besides, it doesn't matter. He's not looking for a relationship, so nothing will come of it. Still, it's nice to dream a little."

I laughed, hugged her. "Never stop dreaming, Mom."

As our conversation faltered a little, Mom spoke up.

"Alice told me that you needed to come down."

I stiffened, waited.

"Why is that, Leah?" she asked, and her tone wasn't accusing, just questioning.

I sighed heavily, ran my hands across my face. I let out a small groan, of frustration, before I turned my gaze to my Mother.

"I've been having weird... symptoms," I began. "And Edward has been insisting that I get them checked out. He's convinced that there's something seriously wrong... but I don't think there is. Whenever he demands that I get it checked out, I get stubborn and I end up fighting with him. And I feel bad... I want it to stop, Mom."

My tone was desperate by the time that I'd finished.

Mom was looking at me with a furrowed brow and icy blue eyes.

"What kind of symptoms?" she asked her tone quietly inquisitive.

_Of course. My Mom is a nurse, and I forgot._

I wanted to face palm, but chose not to embarrass myself as I quickly reeled off my symptoms.

"Unnaturally vivid dreams about Harry..." Mom stiffened as I said his name, "Nausea and vomiting straight after these dreams. That's it, really. The nightmares are really affecting my sleep, so I'm always exhausted," I sighed heavily.

Mom's expression was quietly concerned as she looked at me.

"Have you been getting frustrated easily?" she asked.

"Yeah," I admitted, thinking on it.

"Soreness in your muscles? Aches and pains?"

I nodded tightly. "What is it?"

"Any... cravings, at all?"

I froze. "_What?"_

"Leah..." Mom asked, her voice almost a whisper. "Is it possible... that you could be pregnant?"

* * *

**A.N: Thank you kindly! Drop me a review if you feel like it. **

**Okay. So this bit has a spoiler, but if you want to know reasoning, read on. If you don't, don't read. M'kay? **

***SPOILERS***

**The readers wanted it to happen.**

***SPOILERS OVER* **

**Yeah. **

**Anyway. Do review, let me know what you think and any suggestions. If you don't like it, please please don't leave a review lecturing me about the story, or how I've ruined it. People wanted this to happen. Readers. The majority of them. So yeah. **

**All of the nice people, let me know if you have any requests, because I think I can fit some in now. Oh, and IWMUH went up to 90 people on alerts! I was like "whoa!" **

**Oh yeah, and Wedding in EPOV is making fine progress. It should be up fairly soon. : ) **

**Be safe. Be happy. Be nice to me. : ) **

**Soap Till Night **

**PS: I went camping with my friends in one of my friend's back garden. It was so much fun! Any of you have funny camping experiences? : ) **

**Soap Till I Can Sleep xx**

_**PSS: REPLIES TO CHAPTER 3 REVIEWS - THANKS TO ALL REVIEWERS! **_

_Brankel1 - I always loved the egg hunts. Still do, even though we haven't done them since I was about seven. :) glad that you liked the chap! _

_Jada91 - I'm not entirely sure. I think it's because she doesn't want to cause unnecessary and she doesn't particularly enjoy people fussing about her. As one of my favourite authors once said, 'when a character begins to keep secrets from the author, that is when they become real to me.' It'll come to me at some point :) thanks for reviewing, sorry that I don't really have a clear answer. It's just because she's being Leah, I think. _

_bibika94 - Glad that you liked the dream! It was surprisingly fun to write despite the creepiness of it. Hope that you enjoy this one, even if you're angry at me for writing in tension between the two :) Thanks for reviewing! _

_Marie One - Originally, I wasn't planning on kids. I just decided to when so many people were eager for it :) I quite like where it's going though. Thank you for the idea :) and thanks for reviewing! See you next time :) _

_Nnikkipooo - ... :D Thanks for your review! I hope that you liked the chapter :) _

_PhasingForms - That's so sad... _

_I didn't actually mean for the Leah and Harry storyline to become so big, but it's somehow made a place. I'm not even entirely sure why I added it in, I knew it would be difficult to write... Hmm. _


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N: I know! I'm sorry I've been away. But I've returned to finish here :-) feel free to kick me into action if I disappear again. I haven't written anything for IWGUS for about a year, so quality control might not be as good. Did my best though. Thanks for looking - and if you return to read, thanks for sticking with me. **

**Pleaseee... No flames? Constructive I can handle : ) **

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Shocks and Surprises**

_Pregnant... Preggers_.

The words echoed through my head as I drove, not even blocked out by the thunderous roar of the engine of the Aston Martin. I was scared - for several reasons. I was worried that I wouldn't make a very good mother - the same worry that I'd had when I was pregnant for the first time. I was also worried that I wasn't pregnant; the disappointment would be devastating. And I was worried that Emmett would call me preggers.

_Leah McPreggers_, I could hear Emmett's voice echoing in my head.

There was another thing eating away at my mind, on top of all of the trivial fears that had filled my head since Mom suggested that I could be pregnant.

How could I be pregnant? I didn't think that I could have children - I'd been phasing. I assumed that I was menopausal - it was one of those things. I wasn't ageing, so I couldn't have kids. Or maybe we'd all been wrong - maybe I could still have children.

It didn't explain how Edward had gotten me pregnant though - he was a vampire. Vampires couldn't have kids - Rosalie had told me that, and Edward had spoken to me about it once we'd been married for a while. Now, I was supposedly pregnant, even though I couldn't have kids, and neither could my husband.

Maybe I was dreaming.

I considered it for a moment - it would explain everything that had happened over the past couple of hours. Just as I was convincing myself that I was in fact asleep, my mobile rang.

_Alice_.

I picked up quickly, turning on the BlueTooth.

'Hey, Alice,' I said calmly.

'Leah!' Alice's voice shouted squeakily down the phone line. 'I just had a vision of you crashing the Aston on purpose, god knows why! It's a gorgeous car, no matter how much it annoys you do not crash it, okay?'

'I think I'm asleep,' I told her.

'Well, you're not, so get that thought out of your head and get home! Now,' Alice told me firmly.

'I don't even know what the fuck is happening! My Mom thinks I'm pregnant, and -'

I stopped when I heard Alice's surprised intake of breath.

Shit, I thought intelligently. Alice had no idea about what was wrong - she probably hadn't even seen my conversation with my Mother. I wondered if I'd just caused a vampire to go into shock.

'Let me phone Carlisle,' I heard Alice say, and then the line disconnected.

_Well, that was fucking great_, I thought angrily.

* * *

I swore several times on my way back to Vancouver. Since marrying Edward, I'd become a lot better at avoiding curse words, but now it seemed that all of our hard work had been spoiled. Now that, apparently, I had a bun baking in the oven, my brain to mouth filter had been broken.

When I finally pulled up outside the main house, my throat was raw from screaming obscenities at innocent people who were driving _too fucking slow_.

'Leah,' Carlisle said. He was outside the car in an instant, opening my door and waiting for me to climb out of the driver's seat. I did so, and then, Carlisle just looked at me. We stared at each other for a moment, before my father figure pulled me in for a hug.

I felt tearful, oddly enough.

Fuck that, I'm not being the weak one again, I thought, and swallowed back my emotions, pulling away from Carlisle.

'Alice called me,' Carlisle said.

'Are the others here?' I asked, looking up to the house. It definitely didn't sound like it, but I couldn't be one hundred percent sure.

'No. They've been hunting in Montreal all day. Alice stayed with them... she's doing a good job of masking that there's something wrong,' Carlisle replied.

'So Edward doesn't know?' I asked urgently. I didn't know how he'd react to news like this - but I didn't actually know that I was pregnant yet, and I didn't want to disappoint him if he would want children.

'No,' Carlisle replied. 'But it's not a permanent solution.'

'If I am pregnant, I'll tell him,' I said firmly. 'He'll be the first to know. I wouldn't keep something like this from him. But I don't want to disappoint him - if I'm not pregnant, I'll tell him that I thought I was, but I'm not.'

Carlisle nodded. 'Good decision. Shall we find out, then?'

Nerves twisted in my stomach. I swallowed hard; Carlisle smiled sympathetically.

I nodded, and followed Carlisle back into the house.

* * *

Carlisle's study had been rearranged to look like a room in a doctor's surgery. I sat down on one of Carlisle's brown leather armchairs and leaned back into the cushions, trying to calm down a bit. I'd been on edge for the whole journey back to Forks - I felt knackered from the strain.

Carlisle readied the ultra sound machine. I lifted my top and waited. My breathing felt constricted - Carlisle paused with the strange wand thing.

'Calm down,' he told me.

'Sorry,' I replied, trying to calm my nerves.

'Your heart is going to burst out of your chest,' Carlisle told me, a twinkle in his eyes.

I laughed. Probably more than I should have done - but I was stressed. That was my excuse for the moment of quiet hysteria.

Carlisle looked concerned again when I'd stopped laughing.

'Just do it,' I said, wiping my eyes. 'Get it over with.'

Carlisle turned on the machine, and we stared at the screen in silence.

I could see a head. Any ordinary human wouldn't have been able to make out the form of the tiny child - but the vampire and the werewolf certainly could. I blinked, gazing at the screen. The baby's heart wasn't beating yet - but there was something there.

'Oh wow,' I murmured.

Carlisle looked at the screen in disbelief. He turned to me, his golden eyes shining with surprise.

'You're pregnant,' he told me.

'Yes, got that, thank you,' I replied, my voice incredibly strained.

* * *

**A.N: Thanks for looking! Drop me a review if you like :-) **


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N: Oh my god, it's so amazing to be back and get such a welcome back :) To be honest, I thought you'd all have moved on to bigger and better fics than mine. It was awesome to hear from you guys :) Thanks again :) **

**This one's still quiet short (Sorry National Anthem) but hopefully Edward's character is okay. I didn't want him to react in the way he did with Bella, because Leah would just ninja on his butt. **

**Anyway. Please, read on. Enjoy :) **

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**Chapter 6 - Be Brave**

'How are you going to tell him?'

It was night now; the sky had darkened and clouds hovered ominously over the orange sky that was slowly disappearing into the distance. My mind was still in a whirl; I could feel my heart thudding erratically in my chest.

Alice had come back from northern Vancouver when Carlisle phoned Esme. The rest of the family was still in the dark about what was wrong with me - and I wanted to keep it that way, just for one more night. I wanted to taste this final semblance of peace before the anger and fear of Edward was unleashed onto us.

Alice sat with me now. We were on the grass outside, watching as the stars appeared in the sky. Carlisle was inside - studying his books. He was also attempting to contact other distance covens that he knew of, so that he could find out if anybody else had any experience of a vampire pregnancy.

'I don't know,' I replied, finally refocusing on our conversation. Alice had taken the news much better than I'd anticipated; I thought that her reaction would be similar to the way I was imagining Edward to react.

'Do you want us to be there?' Alice asked me, her bright golden eyes glued to my face.

'Maybe,' I responded. 'I don't want... I don't know. I know he wouldn't hurt me.'

'No,' Alice agreed. 'He wouldn't.'

'But would he hurt the baby?' I asked, turning to look at Alice. 'If it was a danger to me? He's been pushed to the edge with everything... I'm his constant. I'm scared. Not of him, of course not... I just... I hate not knowing.'

Alice nodded. 'I understand.'

Of course she did. Alice could see the future; she hated not knowing something that was coming.

We both looked off onto the horizon. The sky had darkened - and there were no stars. It was just dark.

* * *

'Leah, wake up,' somebody shook my shoulders.

'Fuck off,' I replied groggily. I rolled onto my back and squinted up through the darkness. It was Alice - she was smiling ever so slightly at my reaction to her interrupting my precious sleep. I shook my head again and realised the mistake I'd made as it began to pound painfully.

'It's six o'clock,' Alice said. 'They'll be back in an hour.'

I heaved myself upright, and Alice laughed at my expense.

'It's alright for you,' I told her. 'You don't have to go through this traumatic experience at the start of every day.'

'Of course I do,' Alice replied. 'I have a husband, remember?'

I blanched and then gagged mockingly; Alice laughed again, tinkling and lighthearted. Somehow, the normality of my sister-in-law laughing at me made me feel better. Like everything would be okay.

'You're really panicking, aren't you?' Alice asked sympathetically.

'Shut up,' I replied with a small smile. 'A bit,' I added, quieter.

'Go and get ready,' Alice said. 'We've got Pop Tarts downstairs.'

I smiled. 'Thanks, Ali.'

She shoved me towards the En Suite. 'I put your clothes on the back of the door!' she called after me.

_Shit, _I thought as I closed the door behind me. She'd picked me out a grey sweater dress and a pair of black leggings to go underneath. It wasn't so bad, actually - I smiled knowingly. She probably didn't want to upset me, today of all days.

I showered and washed my hair, before brushing my teeth and reentering my room to blow dry my hair. Alice was already there, holding her own specially modified hairdryer - I looked at the thing warily, but apparently the evil sister of mine wasn't giving in.

Three minutes later, my hair looked pretty good, and I raced Alice downstairs - winning only because I locked her in her closet and she didn't want to break the door down.

'Good morning Leah,' Carlisle said cheerfully. He was sat in the kitchen with a newspaper in one hand. I could imagine a mug of coffee to the left of him - it was a very human image. But Carlisle didn't look like a vampire at all.

'Morning Carlisle,' I replied, sitting down on one of the bar stools at the counter. I leaned over to put a couple of Pop Tarts in the toaster, before grabbing a plate from the cupboard and placing it on the counter. I nimbly jumped down from the seat, doing a handstand as I flipped upright, landing on my toes.

Alice grinned. 'Show off.'

'Just proving that even pregnant women can be awesome,' I replied, grinning in response.

Carlisle laughed at our teasing. 'No more symptoms this morning?' he asked.

'No nightmares, oddly enough,' I told him. 'Just muscle pains. But I'm fine, really.'

Carlisle smiled. 'Esme called. They're about ten minutes away.'

I nodded, nervous again. _For fuck's sake, he is your husband_, I thought angrily, trying to calm down.

'It's going to be okay,' Alice told me.

I nodded. 'Yeah.'

My throat was a bit too dry, though. I popped the Pop Tarts and chewed off one of the corners, my eyes glued to the window.

* * *

'Leah.'

A pair of arms wrapped around my waist, and relief suddenly spread through my like wildfire. I relaxed - I hadn't even realised that I was tense, but apparently I was.

Edward. I'd missed him without even realising.

'I love you,' he said. I turned around, grabbing one of his hands in mine. The cold was comforting.

'I need to tell you something,' I said.

Edward nodded. 'I know. Shall we go upstairs?'

I nodded, and Edward swung me up into his arms. In an instant, I was sat on our bed and the door was closed behind us softly. Edward came and sat beside me on the bed - our hands linked together.

'Don't freak out,' I said - as if it would help.

'What's going on?' Edward demanded. 'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine!' I assured him. _This isn't going well_, I thought. 'I'm good. I'm really good, great, I'm properly great. Yes, I'm as fresh as a daisy...' _What the hell am I doing_?

'What's wrong?' Edward said.

How do you say it? How do people normally say it?

'I... Well, don't freak.'

'I won't,' Edward said, locking his eyes with mine.

'I'm pregnant.'

* * *

Looking back on it, it probably wasn't the best way to break the news to him.

Edward froze solid - he looked like a vampire carved from ice. His golden eyes widened considerably, and then he just didn't move.

_Well, that went well._

'That's not possible,' Edward said, after what felt like a millennia of silence. His eyes were focused on me, yet he looked like he was elsewhere.

'We're certain,' I replied. 'I wouldn't say so without being absolutely certain.'

'I can't have children,' Edward said. 'Neither can you.'

That stung a bit, but he was wrong. Apparently, I could. The baby growing in my belly was evidence of that.

'Feel,' I said. I grabbed Edward's hand, placed it on the barely there bump.

'I don't feel anything,' he said, pulling away almost instantly.

'Edward,' I sounded almost angry. 'There is a child growing in there,' I gestured to my stomach. 'It freaks me out too, but I'm not going to pretend it's not happening just because it's simplest.'

Edward looked at me - and then realised something. It was the moment I'd been dreading - everything seemed to happen at once.

'No!' he shouted.

_He fucking shouted._

'Edward!' I shouted in response. His mouth closed; he gaped at me for a moment, like a fish.

Below, there was no sound. Apparently, the rest of the family were either stunned, or they'd left us to our own devices. I couldn't tell.

'It's not possible,' he declared through gritted teeth.

'I thought so too, but look, actually look! Look at me. Nightmares, the cramps, the mood swings, the sickness, everything - and then, as if that wasn't enough, look at this,' I pulled a picture from the pocket of my sweater dress.

It was from the ultra sound. The growing form of my child - barely visible, but visible to a vampire or werewolf.

Edward stared at it with tortured eyes.

'It'll hurt you,' he said suddenly - and he wasn't angry anymore. He looked defeated - no, it was more than that. He looked devastated. His eyes shone with pain for a moment, and I was staggered by the extent of his emotions. 'I've hurt you,' he murmured, barely audible.

'It takes two to make a baby,' I replied stubbornly, putting my hands on my hips. 'I'm not going to let you mope about something that I wanted.'

Edward looked at me. 'I can't let somebody else be hurt because of _me_.'

'Who's been hurt because of you? Edward, you're the most caring man that I know. You couldn't hurt anyone. And this baby isn't you. Even if it does hurt me - even if I break a rib, that happens to pregnant women all the time! I'm a werewolf. I heal quickly. I don't age, technically. This isn't going to be the death of me.'

I shifted closer to him, put my hand against his stone cold cheek.

'It'll make me happy. It'll make us stronger,' I told him.

He shook his head, but not in denial. Like he was trying to clear water from his ears - something about the motion reminded me of a dog.

'This is our decision,' I said. 'It's our baby. Part of me, and part of you. Half werewolf, half vampire. Doesn't that make you curious?' I grabbed his hand again, holding it to my stomach. 'I can't let this go a second time.'

He finally spoke. 'Do you think you can handle this?'

'Of course. I'm strong,' I said.

Then, Edward smiled. It was a nervous smile, filled with hope for the unknown. He looked down at my stomach in wonder, like it was some kind of witchcraft, and then back up to me.

'I trust you,' he told me.

'You better,' I replied with a laugh.

And we both started giggling. I wasn't sure why; the relief that he'd accepted it so easily - I mean, yes it had taken some work on my part, but he had accepted it without flying off the handle and going insane.

When we'd both got our hysteria under control, Edward's hand cupped my jaw.

'I love you,' Edward said, and he pressed his icy lips to mine.

* * *

We went downstairs, hand in hand. Edward still looked a little bit like he'd just been hit across the face - but he looked happy too, like he'd thoroughly enjoyed being hit in the face.

Probably not the best analogy.

Edward laughed at my thoughts, ruffled my hair jokingly. I swatted him in the back of the head - somehow, our familiar teasing banter had resurfaced. It was like we were stronger than before.

The rest of the family had disappeared before our conversation, apparently, so I phoned Alice, who was incredibly enthusiastic as she answered the phone.

Her high pitched, pixie squeal caused me to go temporarily deaf in one ear. I held the phone away, wincing as I grabbed my ear in pain. Edward laughed - _yes, thank you husband dearest, _I thought sarcastically - and took the phone from me.

'Yes, you can come back now,' he said.

A pause. I could hear Alice's high pitched squeaks, but I couldn't really tell what she was saying.

'Yes, I'm fine.'

Another pause.

'No, I didn't overreact.'

'He did,' I cut in. Alice began telling off Edward in quite a loud voice, so he cut her off - which was a very dangerous move.

'See you soon,' Edward called, and then hung up.

'That was suicidal,' I told him.

'Run away with me?' he asked.

I grinned, leaned up to kiss him again. He tried to deepen the kiss, but I pulled away - keep him wanting. Edward moaned and pouted mockingly - I swatted him in the head again.

'Always,' I told him with a smirk.

* * *

**A.N: I'll start working on the next one tomorrow. Drop me a line, if you like. **

**Also, quick replies; to everyone who reviewed: **

**NationalAnthem: I'm sorry! I am alive. Very much alive. I don't even know what happened, but I suddenly thought 'gosh I miss it' and I returned! *Thumbs up* **

**Marie One: Hi! Thank you! Sorry I've been away, I'll make it up to you :) **

**0-0-MIDNIGHTROSE-0-0: I love that I've got uniqueness! Thanks for reviewing :) **

**brankel1: Hope this was okay! :) thanks for dropping me a line : ) **

**M-Bianca94: Hope it was soon enough! Much love : ) **

**Thanks again to you all! If anybody has an idea of how I can make up my disappearance to you all, give me a shout. **

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Soap Sudz xx **


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N: Hi dere! This one is still short (sorry) but enjoy. Drop me an encouraging line of support if you want :) (a review) But enjoy anyway even if you don't. **

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Emmett Is An Idiot**

We didn't run away, of course.

Edward and I shared a quick kiss - I teased him again, of course. He glared at me and let out a low growl when I pulled away, so I kissed him again hurriedly, before disappearing into the kitchen, using all of my werewolf speed to my advantage.

He was too quick - one arm around my waist, gentle as always. The other hand reached up to hold my face. His golden eyes burned into mine, somehow angry though I wasn't sure why.

I realised a moment later.

'Running away from me, Mrs Masen?' he demanded.

I smirked. 'Maybe I am. But maybe I'm not,' I leaned up and kissed him for a long moment, trying to make him loose focus. It worked - a moment later his hand had loosened around my waist, and I made my escape.

I whirled around and shut the door behind me, before bolting towards the stairs that were only a few metres away. Somehow, we'd had the most dangerous moment in our relationship so far just moments ago, and now we were playing some kind of chasing game.

But that made us different. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I got halfway up the stairs before Edward's arms fastened around my waist - restraining me. I hissed, swinging up one arm to distract him, and using my elbow to jab him in the stomach.

My bone made a strange sound of protest against his skin - and I winced for a moment, but the pain was worth it as he lost concentration again and instinctively released me. I dashed up the remaining stairs, into Alice's room.

I dived straight for her closet, and quickly ran through it, before jumping down the set of stairs that she had, and into the wardrobe.

I knew it wouldn't work; hiding from a vampire was impossible.

'Leah,' Edward said, sounding very threatening.

I grinned.

'Where are you?' he said, sounding like a bit of a psychopath.

He dropped the facade when I thought that, and his voice took on an affronted tone.

'I'm not a psychopath!' he exclaimed. He was just behind where I was hidden - I jumped out and grabbed his collar, wishing that he was wearing a shirt and tie; it would've made the movement a lot more sexy.

'I know,' I said. 'You're a sparkly vampire.'

'You make me sound pathetic,' he said, but I cut him off with another kiss. His arms wrapped around my waist - holding me close to him. I tangled my fingers in his extraordinarily ginger hair.

'Auburn!' Edward said, pulling away.

We were cut off by the sound of a car pulling up outside. I could hear the gravel crunching.

'They're here,' Edward said.

'Stating the obvious again?' I asked him.

He stuck his tongue out and turned around.

'Come on,' he said. 'We should tell them the news.'

* * *

The rest of the family was already seated in the lounge when we finally got downstairs. Emmett was sat beside Rose on the love-seat - Rose looked a bit confused. Emmett looked happy as always - his hair was dishevelled, his clothing torn. Apparently he'd been teasing grizzlies again.

Rather than choosing to lecture him about being cruel to animals, I grabbed Edward's hand.

'Oh, get a room!' Emmett exclaimed instantly.

Rose smacked him over the back of the head with a fashion magazine. I shot her a smile, which she returned.

'We need to tell you something,' Edward said.

'Oh my god!' Emmett yelled. 'They're getting divorced!'

_What the fuck_? I thought.

'Emmett, we're holding hands!' I said.

'It's an act! Oh my gosh, you're joining the mafia?'

'What?'

'You're joining the mafia and you didn't tell us? Don't leave!' the idiot fell down onto the ground and looked up at us in desperation.

'Emmett,' Edward said. 'We're not joining the mafia. We're not even leaving. Sit down.'

Abashed, Emmett returned to his seat. He leaned towards us, his eyes flickering from Edward's face to mine.

'You'll probably be shocked,' Edward said. 'So, try not to freak out. Especially you, Rose,' Edward added.

I froze. Rosalie. She'd hate me - she'd be angry and our friendship would be ruined. My hand moved up as if to touch my stomach, but Edward shot me a look and I pretended to itch my upper arm.

'Leah...'

'I'm pregnant,' I said at the same time as Edward.

_Better to get it over with_, I thought.

I looked to Rose first - her reaction was vital. But a smile had formed on her face - she looked over the moon, like she herself was pregnant. She moved across the room in a fluid motion and wrapped her arms around me.

'I'm happy for you,' she said.

'Thank you,' I replied. 'That means a lot.'

She smiled. 'Just because I lost my chance... Doesn't mean that I would be angry if you got a chance.'

I smiled in response. 'Thanks, Rose.'

Esme's reaction was similar. She gave me a hug - Jasper just remained in the corner, looking quietly stunned. Then, Alice leaned over and whispered to him, and he relaxed and smiled at me from across the room. He sent me a wave of support - I smiled at him.

Emmett's reaction was the most unexpected.

He looked up at us both with wide eyes.

'But how?' he blinked.

'Well,' I said, feeling a lot more normal now. 'When a man and a woman love each other very much...'

Emmett shook his head. 'But... But...'

He blinked, shook his head again, like a dog trying to get water out of its ears.

'I don't understand,' he said weakly.

'Leah's got a bun baking in the oven,' Alice said.

'Alice!' Esme exclaimed.

'Sorry, Mom,' Alice replied, looking down.

'But...' Emmett said weakly.

'We don't know how,' Edward said. 'But she definitely is.'

'Edward overreacted,' Alice told the rest of the family.

'No I didn't!' Edward responded, looking uncomfortable.

'You did,' I told him.

Jasper smirked.

'Stop it!' Edward protested.

'You know what this means?' Alice asked.

'Studying immortal vampire babies?' I questioned, raising my eyebrows at her.

'Yep!' Alice replied.

I blinked. 'What?'

'Well,' Alice said. 'What I thought... I was going to take you shopping for new clothes and stuff. But Emmett looks pretty freaked, so I thought you should take him, and we'd stay here and study.'

Edward looked a bit put out. 'But...'

'No, Eddie,' Emmett said, looking much more lively. 'I'm traumatised.'

Edward looked mutinous.

_Edward_, I thought. _It'll be nice to go somewhere with Emmett... It'll be a bit more normal. I've missed you... but if I go with Emmett now, we'll be able to go back to the house and spend some time together later on._

Edward nodded, looking a little happier with the arrangements. He gave me a hug and kissed me on the cheek.

'Be careful, won't you?' he said, but he wasn't talking to me. Emmett nodded somberly, his head bowed.

'I will guard her with my life,' he said.

'What the heck? Guys, I'm not on a hit list,' I said, glaring at them both.

Emmett grinned down at me. 'C'mon sis, let's roll!' he yelled.

I barely had time to kiss Edward goodbye before Emmett was dragging me from the house.

* * *

**A.N: It's a bit short again, apologies! I've been battling with some strange form of writers block, but I'm hoping that the next chap should cure it. **

**Until then, if you get bored or just fancy it, check out my AH fic about the cullens and the clearwaters in high school together. I always wanted to give it a go and it's not going so bad at the minute. Any support would be welcomed- thanks muchly. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**review, if you want :)**


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